CANBERRA -- Senior Government Minister Christopher Pyne has contradicted his former leader and party federal director, saying it was accepted in government that it would not have been returned under Tony Abbott and that is why he was removed as Prime Minister.

Pyne delivered the blunt assessment during Wednesday night’s episode of the ABC's Kitchen Cabinet, describing the September ousting of Abbott by Malcolm Turnbull was “quite traumatising” and “very difficult for the party”.

The leadership coup has proved a popular move for the Government, with its -- and Turnbull’s -- standing in all opinion polls improving markedly.

Abbott was not in an election winning position when he lost power, he and senior Liberal Party members insist they had a plan to turn it around.. with Abbott at the helm.

"I was very confident we were on track to win. We had a clear strategy," former Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane told the ABC last month.